Constructing the Basic Bodice Block

Step 30

Draw in darts around each of the three dashed lines that extend from the lower boundary of the block (line E to AB) to the line B to C. The width of these lines are determined as follows. The standard is to introduce 18 cm (7") of waist shaping, unless this would reduce the waist below the WAIST measurement plus 6 cm (2-3/8") of ease. In the latter case, the waist darts should be scaled appropriately. When the full 18 cm (7") is used, the three darts should be 2.5 cm (1") wide for the back dart, 3 cm (1-1/8") wide in the middle dart and 3.5 cm (1-3/8") wide for the front dart - however, the middle dart should be subdivided into 1 cm (3/8") for the backward section and 2 cm (3/4") for the forward section.

The bodice block developed so far contains 9 cm (3-1/2") of ease around the bust. The amount to be removed through waist darts is therefore the BUST measurement plus 3 cm (1-1/8") minus the WAIST measurement (the 3 cm (1-1/8") addition is the result of 9 cm (3-1/2") of bust ease minus 6 cm (2-3/8") of waist ease). When this measurement is less than 18 cm (7"), the waist darts should be scaled downwards as appropriate.

The waist darts are (2,5 + 3,0 + 3,5 = 9,0 cm), multiplied by two because the block is only half the garment, hence 18,0 cm. The requirement of 6 cm of ease is actually a reduction from the 9 cm of ease already incorporated into the block. (Bust + 9 cm) – (Waist + 6 cm) = (Bust – Waist) + 3 cm. In the reference case this is 18 cm. So you should calculate (BUST + 3 cm – WAIST). Let’s say that leads to a result of 19 cm. So you need to adjust the dart widths so the sum is (D1 + D2 + D3)x2 = 19 cm. For the block, you therefore have to add 0,5 cm distributed across the three darts. Hence your dart measurements would be D1 = 2,6 cm ; D2 = 3,2 cm ; and D3 = 3,7 cm, or something similar. When these three measurements are added, they come to 9,5 cm, which, when doubled is 19 cm, the desired amount of reduction. Is that clearer?

hi,
Would you explain this part a little bit more? Should we add 6cm to BUST measurment and subtract 3cm from WAIST measurment and then take the difference? Then how we would know the size of each 3 darts?
Thanks

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